Trolley-switch.



PATENTED DEG.15, 190a.

L. E. ELWELL. TROLLEY $WITGH.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 17, 190 3.

H0 MODEL.

M a WIIIIIIL irlE Frames Patented December 15, 1903.

LLOYD E. FLWELL, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

TRQLLEY- -SWlTGl-l.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Eatent No. 747,155, dated December 15, 1903. Application filed August 1'7, 1903. Serial No. 169,828. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LLOYD E. ELWELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of LosAngeles and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Trolley-Switches, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to means whereby the trolley-wheel on electric-railway cars may be diverted from the main trolley-wire onto a branch wire while the car is in motion and when the car is running on the main line not to in any manner interfere therewith, whereby the liability of the wheel leaving the wire when passing rapidly by the switch is prevented, which is the object of my invention. I accomplish this object by means of the device herein described and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a central longitudinal section of a trolley-switch embodying my invention,

taken on the line of the main trolley-wire.-

Fig. 2 is a bottom view of my improved trol- Icy-switch. Fig. 3 is a transverse section thereof, taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a transverse section taken on line 4. 4 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a transverse section taken on line 5 5 of Fig. 2.

In the drawings, A represents my improved trolley-switch arranged to be secured to the span-wires by means of the projecting eyes 13, one on each side thereof. provided with a longitudinal groove G, extending from one end to the other and having in the center thereof a longitudinal rib D, against which the main trolley-wire contacts. Below the main longitudinal groove 0 is the switch-groove F, so arranged as to carry the trolley-wheel onto the branch tro1ley-wire G. The trolley-wheel will be carried from the main groove into the switch-groove F by means of the downwardly-inclined shoulders H on the side of the switch-groove. The inclination downward of these shoulders begin at H and extend downward therefrom until the point marked H is reached, when it will depress the trolley-wheel passing thereunder into the plane occupied by the switchgroove F, and when the sides F of this groove will direct the trolley-wheel to the left into the groove F. At this point the trolley-wheel has passed below and out of the groove 0 and My switch is is cleared of the trolley-wire E. From this point until the trolley-wheel engages the branch trolley-wire G it will be guided by the downwardly-projecting shoulder F, the downwardlyprojecting guide J, and the central rib I, projecting downwardly into the branch groove to unerringly guide the trolley-wheel onto the branch wire G. An extension I on this rib I forms a bearing for the trolley-wire G and to which the trolleywire G is secured. The shoulder F and the guide J will cause the trolley-wheel to leave the main groove O and pass into the branch groove F and onto the branch trolley-wire G.

The operation of this switch will be plainly understood when We realize that as the caris carried ofl the main line in switching into the branch line it will twist the trolley-wheel on the trolley-pole out of a line with the main trolley-wire into a line with the branch line, and the flanges on the trolley-wheel being thereby thrown out of alinement with the main groove will engage the shoulder H on both sides thereof and be depressed out of the plane of the main trolley-wire until the point H is reached, when the trolley-wheel will be then down into the plane of the switchgroove F, when the wheel will be directed into the switch-grooveby conducting with the shoulder F, as hereinbefore explained.

, It will be manifest that on an electric railway equipped with my trolley-switch there will be no obstacle anywhere on the line to throw the wheel 01f the wire while passing the switch, and therefore the liability of the wheel to jump the wire prevented when the car is moving rapidly by the switches.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A trolley switch comprising a main frame A having a main longitudinal groove O extending therethrough; a supplementary branch groove F below the plane of the main groove and means to depress the trolleywheel out of the main groove and into the plane of the branch groove and means to direct the trolley-wheel into the branch groove substantially as herein shown and described.

2. Means to switch a trolley-wheel from the main trolley-wire of an electric-railway system onto a branch trolley-wire and not to interfere with the trolley-wheel when the car is running ahead on the main line past the switch, comprising a trolley-switch having a main groove extending through the body portion of the switch; a branch groove disposed below the plane of the main groove and below the main wire located therein; and means to divert atrolley-wheel from the main groove into the branch groove comprising shoulders H to depress the trolley -whee1 below the plane of the main trolley-wire, and inclined shoulders F adapted to direct the trolleywheel into the branch groove substantially as herein shown and described.

3. Means to switch the trolley-wheel from the main trolley-wire to the branch-line trolley-wire when the car is in motion and not to interfere with the trolley-wheel when the car is passing the switch on the mainline scribed.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 8th day of August, 1903.

LLOYD E. ELWELL.

Witnesses:

HENRY T. HAZARD, G. E. HARPHAM. 

